2018 was a year of new voyages, ones that encompassed the U.S. East Coast, then over to Europe, a trip to Chicago and finally the RV journey that began at the end of October. When I look at my Google Map it strikes me that I am not really locked in to one place any longer, that I’ve been able to successfully navigate my way to the places and the people I want to see. I feel incredibly fortunate and have really enjoyed the nomadic lifestyle making my way across the country.
There is a quest to make this a cross-country trip, a coast-to-coast endeavour. I can see Los Angeles on the road signs now that I have made it to Arizona – the Pacific ocean is tantalizingly close, just over 300 miles away. I was born in Los Angeles, and left for the East Coast in my mid 20s. So even though I’ve lived over half my life in the Northeast, when I encounter the mountains here in the desert I feel as if I’m getting reacquainted with my former life, a life where the ocean was close at hand, while the mountains and desert were in relative close proximity.
Coming across the wide-open terrain of West Texas, through to New Mexico and now in the western part of Arizona I am struck by the open space of the landscape, how the dimensions of the road, the parks, the parking lots at stores expand to fit it. If there’s ample space there is ample room, room to maneuver my RV and tow vehicle, room to separate myself at a campground (unlike some where you feel as if you’re in a parking lot with trees), room to explore landscapes that have most likely been unchanged for hundreds, maybe thousands of years.
I went through several border checks in Texas where pictures were taken of the front and back of each vehicle, and the German shepherds were standing with the patrol people, who waved me through routinely. And so many border patrol SUV vehicles traversing the road sides and canyons. I ponder many things as I drive for hours about if a $5 billion dollar wall were ever to be constructed, would the road stops and border patrols go away? Down in Del Rio Texas I spoke with my camp host who was making the 3 mile journey over the border to have dinner and shop in Mexico. And while watching a football game I struck up a conversation with a guy born in New Mexico of parents from Mexico who had bounced between the U.S. and Mexico constantly through his life. I think I have read so much about borders in political terms (in terms of refugees seeking asylum, people searching for better opportunities, etc.) that this trip has opened up the human perspective, one where respecting different cultures and nationalities is more genuine and real because it’s in front of you every day.
So I plan on filling up the southwestern, northwestern and mid-country parts of my map this year, continuing on to Nevada, California, Utah, Colorado and more states as Spring emerges and I make my way back to Pennsylvania. So many places and people and experiences to enjoy while I keep my journey momentum going….
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